Following the success of direct carrier billing implementations with Windows Phone Store in Spain and Germany, Telefónica’s Global Payment System is now live allowing O2 customers in the UK to use ‘Charge to Mobile’ when making a digital purchase through the Microsoft Windows Phone Store.
Whether buying digital services from a website, mobile site or within an application, Charge to Mobile enables the customer to simply pay via their mobile phone bill or prepaid credit.
Charge to Mobile is automatically available to all O2 consumer customers, with no requirement to register for the service.
Enabling Charge to Mobile has proven to increase revenue for the Windows Phone developer community as the customer experience encourages propensity to spend. It has also been well received by customers who value the speed and simplicity of the transaction.
According to data from a Kantar Worldpanel ComTech report* for the three months leading up to August this year, Windows Phone-based devices accounted for close to 12% of smartphone sales in Telefónica’s European territories including the UK, Germany and Spain.
In addition, Windows Phone developers earn three times more revenue per active user on average in markets where Charge to Mobile is offered (and six times more revenue on average in emerging markets where credit card usage is more limited).
David Plumb, Digital UK Director at Telefónica said: “Charge to Mobile supports our digital strategy and we’re delighted to add Microsoft to our growing portfolio of technology companies who offer it. The service allows us to put digital at the heart of the customer experience.”
Charge to Mobile for the Microsoft Windows Phone Store is now live across a number of Telefónica’s operating businesses. The new higher pay-out rates also enable merchants to offer consumers a wider range of services payable to their mobile.
